Love Comes To Those Who Waits
by SarahShalomDavid
Summary: Marty and Clark find love in the most unexpected of places, at the most unexpected time, and little Missie gets the mother she wanted. A beautiful family life
1. Missie

Marty Claridge had just moved out to the West of America with her loving husband Aaron Claridge, who sadly passed away shortly after they moved.

Without any other option, she accepts the slightly strange arrangement that was offered to her by a widower by the name of Clark Davis.

He offered to give her a warm and safe place to stay for her and her unborn child. She was expecting her late husband's child shortly before her departure to the East. Clark later on promised to provide her with the fare for the wagon train which was due to head back East in the spring, but in exchange they agreed to marry each other, and for her to become a mother to his daughter; Missie.

The couple live together under the same roof, but in seperate rooms, a married couple in a simple sense with the only aim for her to be a mother to his motherless child.

Marty, while expecting her late husband's baby, is even more in need of a warm place to stay. Still, it is not an ideal arrangement for any of them, and at first Marty and Missie did not get along. Marty learnt more about "Clark's God" than she ever dreamed whilst under his roof and as the Winter season passed, they all begun to feel more like a family than ever before.

Today is the day that Marty is due to leave for the East, Missie sat on the steps of the house as she watched her new and now leaving mother, she was about to become motherless for the second time in her tiny little life. Nine years since the day the curly blonde haired child had been born, two different mothers and nine seconds since the first tear slid down her face at the loss of her second mother. She didn't want Marty to leave, or 'Mommy' as she now called her. She felt safe when she called her that, she didn't quite understand why but she wanted her to stay, she needed her. She needed a mother. She was also rather fond of the idea of having a little baby brother or sister, the idea of a little sister did seem more appealing though.

Marty put her case down on the dusty ground and grinned at her 'daughter', "I am going to miss you so much my darling princess" she whispered softly into the little girl's ear

Missie burst into tears and clung to the older woman, "Don't leave me Mommy, please don't go" she begged her, trying to stop her leaving, "You can stay here forever, you know that right?"

Clark stood in the doorway watching as the woman he secretly loved was leaving, he walked forward and wrapped his arms around his daughter, pulling her from the beautiful woman, "Marty has to go princess, she wants to go home" he said softly to his daughter, trying not to cry.

Missie tried desperately to reach her mother, "This is your home Mommy, please stay?" the child begged sobbing her heart out.

Marty looked down and cupped her cheek, "I'm going to miss you my Princess" she said softly, and moved her soft hand to the man's face, "I will miss you too" she said simply with an emotion tainted voice.

The stunning woman walked towards the wagon, aware of the four eyes watching her, but unaware of the tears brimming in the man's eyes, and the sounds of the gradual breaking of his heart.

Marty lifted her case onto the wagon, and went to climb on. The man driving nodded to her and tipped his hat to her.

The sun was high in the sky, and the the sky was painted light blue with mis-shaped clouds in the spring sky.

Suddenly the skies were filled with the sounds of a gut-wrenching scream as labour pains hit her with force... Would she ever make it back to the East?


	2. Lindsay

After the birth of a beautiful baby girl called Lindsay, Marty lay back on the double bed with the swaddled baby in her arms, holding her close, and pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, "I love you" she whispered softly to her newborn infant.

The newborn swaddled in a white blanket and the bed covered in dark blue sheets, with an intricate white pattern sewn into the edges of the comforter

Clark smiled after helping with the birth, and brushed stray hairs from the beautiful woman's eyes, and kissed her lips softly, his eyes shining with love, and a sense of protectiveness.

Missie hugged her mother from the side and smiled happily, and kissed the baby's head, "Love you" she said softly to her new baby sister.

Clark grinned as he watched his baby girl and held onto his wife's hand with care, "I love you" he said softly, fiddling with her wedding ring, and kissing her ring finger gently, "Stay? Please? I don't want to lose you" he said, getting quieter as his sentence carried on...

Marty tilted her head to the side to lean it against her step-daughter as a way to hug her as well, "I love you too" she said with a happy and carefree smile, as she held her newborn child to her chest, "And of course I'll stay, I...erm never wanted to leave any ways" she admitted with a hint of amusement

Clark grinned happily and kissed her passionately, as Missie cringed, "Ewwww" she said making the loving couple laugh

Marty smiled at her, and kissed her cheek, "I love you too, my princess" she said gently to her child

Missie smiled, "I love you too Mom" she said grinning, "Can I have a brother now too?" she said causing laughter to be emitted from both mother and father...

Clark looked into Marty's eyes and smiled, as he told her daughter, "Maybe one day..."


	3. Six Years Later

Six years later…

Marty and Clark had been married for just over five years now, and were sat together on the swinging bench that sat upon their porch. She smiled brightly, her elegant smile lighting up the yard just as much as the sunshine above them did.

Their hands were linked and her stomach was swollen. Clark traced shapes on her pregnant stomach as they watched their children play. There was Missie, and then there was six year old Lindsay, four year old Robert and two year old Breanna.

Missie was playing with her siblings; Lindsay was pushing her doll on the swing, while Robert played in the mud throwing his ball around, and two year old Bree was sat on a blanket near her mother with chocolate on her face and hands.

Clark laughed seeing her in such a mess, "What should we name our newborn son?" he asked his wife

Marty smiled, "Billy" she said with a bright smile


End file.
